| The Total Solar Eclipse in Zambia ~ June 2001 |
 |
| The Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery: The Viewing Spot first contact Corona The Sky above Diamond ring effect pinhole camera effects surrounding landscape Third contact (sickle-shaped sun) Projection (reversed binoculars) total solar eclipse & protuberances Sonnwendfeuer (midwinter bonfire) |
| June 21st 2001: On the day of the solstice, the most spectacular solar eclipse could be observed in southern central Africa and Madagascar. It entered Angola, just north of the town Lobito at 12:40 UT and travelled southeast through the whole of central Angola. At 13:00 UT, it reached Zambia and passed over the western half of the country, the capital Lusaka lying well within the path of totality. The moon's shadow touched the northernmost areas of Zimbabwe and passed through central Mocambique where it left the African continent at 13:20 UT The eclipse over Africa lasted from 4'30" (Western Angola) to 2'20" (Madagascar) |